Various prostheses have been used for replacement of joints. Replacement is desirable when joints have been damged by disease (including various forms of arthritis and other diseases causing degeneration of cartilage in joints) or injury, including rupture of the cartilage.
Some problems encountered after implantation of such prostheses are caused by the cements used to attach the prosthesis to host bone. The cements have been known to loosen and thus the prosthesis eventually fails. Decomposing cement may also move into the joint itself, where it may cause inflammation. The bioincompatibility of certain cements has also resulted in "walling off" of the prostheses, i.e., fibrous tissue forms between the host bone and the prosthesis, which may eventually weaken the junction.
Some prostheses in use, especially certain hip replacements, are much larger than the degenerative tissue that needs to be replaced. Extensive portions of healthy bone are typically removed to accomodate the prosthesis.
A need remains for prostheses which are suitable for replacement of body parts comprising articulating cartilage and which avoid problems associated with prior art prostheses, such as those discussed above.